"But you are not going to eat the dear little birds?" asked Nellie anxiously.
"Of course not," said the Queen pettishly. "Get me a bit of bread and honey. You know how fond I am of it."
One of the blackbirds flew out of the window as Nellie went to the cupboard to get out some honey for the Queen and a piece of cake for herself.
"Cookey makes such nice cakes," she said, with her mouth full.
"You should not talk with your mouth full," said the Queen. "You can give me one to taste."
Nellie went down on one knee and presented it the way she had been shown. The Queen took it at once and began to eat it. Such big bites she took too, which rather surprised Nellie, who had seen Miss Primmer at afternoon tea daintily mincing thin wafers of bread and butter.
"What are you staring at?" asked the Queen. "I hate to be stared at--it's very rude. Get me my bread and honey at once."
Nellie presented that too on one knee.
"Have you not a drop of tea? I'm dreadfully thirsty," asked the Queen.
"I have nothing but my doll's tea set, and they are rather tiny," answered Nelly doubtfully, going to the cupboard and getting them out.